JERRY OLEA
Ochenta na si Tita Boots!
Octogenarian na si Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, na tinaguriang Ina ng Laging Saklolo ng Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Ano ang pumapasok sa kanyang isip at puso sa pagsapit ng kanyang ika-80 kaarawan?
“Talagang puro pasasalamat na lang,” sabi ni Tita Boots sa mediacon ng Groovin’ Boots concert noong Enero 21, 2025 sa Club Filipino sa Greenhills, San Juan City, MM.
“Kasi yung at this age, di ba, yung every morning pag nagigising ako sa umaga — kami ni King [Rodrigo], 85 siya, e.
“Paggising namin sa umaga, ‘Thank you, buhay pa tayo!’”
Read: Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo, may tatlong pasabog sa 80th birthday
May kiss pa ba ng husband niyang si King?
Napangiti si Tita Boots at mabilis na sumagot, “Of course. Ha! Ha! Ha! May kiss, may masahe pa yun. May himas pa yan. Meron pang pagpag sa likod.
“Pag ginaganun ko ang likod niya, ‘O, eto ang pagkakataon ko na bugbugin yung likod mo,’ anyway.
“So, you know, yun bang there’s so much to be thankful for. And while my life has not been one bed of roses, hindi naman na walang problema, meron. May peaks and valleys tayo lahat.
“But all the time, nandun Siya. Kung magbibigay ng problema, kung binibigyan ako ng problema, binibigyan ako ng kakayahan para dalhin yung problema.”
Noong 2007 nabiyuda si Tita Boots.
Nagpakasal siya muli kay Francisco “King” Rodrigo Jr. noong 2014.
Hanggang ngayon ay ipinagdarasal pa rin ni Tita Boots ang kaluluwa ng namayapa niyang si Pete Roa, pati ang namayapang asawa ni King.
Read: Atty. King Rodrigo, nagkuwento tungkol sa first night at shower escapade nila ni Boots Anson Roa
BEAUTY SECRET OF BOOTS ANSON-ROA
Ano ba ang beauty secret ni Tita Boots? Bakit nananatili siyang maganda?
Natawa si Tita Boots, “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ahhh sabi nga, sinusuwerti! Ha! Ha! Ha! Masuwerte lang. Blessed. Nasa genes.
“Ako, hindi ako nakatikim ng tagihawat, e. Wala talaga. Tapos at my age, may wrinkles, pero hindi masyadong matindi yung wrinkles.
“I like to call my wrinkles ‘my laugh lines.’
"Tapos yung mga circle sa mata or eye bags, sabi ko nga, yung eye bags ko, ‘OK lang may eye bags basta Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton!’
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Mga ganun. And maybe it’s the sense of humor.”
Ngayong Enero 30, Huwebes, ang grand reunion sa birthday celebration ni Tita Boots.
Bukas, Enero 31, Biyernes ng gabi, ang Groovin’ Boots concert sa Music Museum sa Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila.
Fundraiser ito, at beneficiary ang MWELFUND kung saan chairperson si Tita Boots.
Tampok sa Groovin’ Boots sina Leah Navarro, Ding Mercado, Ray An Fuentes, at Pat Castillo. Panauhin sina Mitch Valdes at Nanette Inventor.
Read: Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo experiences memory block for the first time in her acting career
GORGY RULA
Mas simple, mas mapapanatili ang ganda sa edad na ochenta. Iyan si Miss Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo!
Walang mga complicated na beauty regimen si Tita Boots, kaya hindi nakikita ang ganoon katanda sa kanyang mukha.
Marami siyang ipinagpasalamat sa kanyang kaarawan ngayon, at mababasa natin ito sa kanyang librong Grateful na ilulunsad sa March.
Bahagi pa rin ng kanyang selebrasyon, bukas, January 31 na ang kanyang retro concert na Groovin’ Boots.
Dito mapapatunayan na iba pa rin talaga ang performers noong panahon nina Tita Boots.
Tampok dito sina Mitch Valdes, Nanette Inventor, Pat Castillo, Ray An Fuentes, Ding Mercado, at Leah Navarro.
Nagpa-sample sila ng kantang "McArthur’s Park" sa kanilang press conference, at iba pa rin talaga ang galing nilang lahat.
STILL ACTIVE AT THEIR AGE
Isa ito sa ipinagpapasalamat nila na nandiyan pa rin sila at puwedeng makipagsabayan sa mga performers ng ngayong panahon.
Sabi pa ni Mitch: “When I watched a lot of YouTube videos of yesterday and today, I always almost go down on my knees, because I always thank God that I was born in the time of being able to work most musically and in the movie industry.
“And to be able to have advocacies that helped both industries, I am so so grateful for the life that I’ve had, and that I can still effect people, make them happy, make them laugh.
“Basta from now on, I realized that every day is a day of gratitude, because, bihira po yung nabibigyan po ng opportunity na ganito.
“Kahit na masakit minsan itong industriyang ito, pero mas marami po yung blessings na nakakapagbigay… sinasabi ng mga bata, nakakadulot ng ligaya…
“Actually po, hindi pa nila masyado naintindihan yun. Iba yung ligaya na nanggagaling sa tanders!
“When you become very, very grateful as you look back at your career path, not many survived this. Not many… Boots and I were talking about longevity.
“You only know you’re successful when you are still around at our age.
“Because, it is very easy now in the day of internet and social media, it is very easy to be successful overnight and then you are gone.”
Read: Boots Anson Roa, hindi na umaasang magkaanak sila ng asawa pero "the playground is open"
NOEL FERRER
GRATEFUL!
Iyan ang title ng libro ni Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo na ilalabas na finally by March.
Nang tanungin ko si Tita Boots, at 80, ano talaga ang mga bagay na ipinagpapasalamat niya? What are the things she is most grateful for?
Ito ang sagot niya:
“1. Being born — I was a wartime baby. My parents almost aborted me. They were separated by the war and its travails.
“By God's grace, they persisted and got married, instead, when my Mom was on her fourth month of pregnancy. I almost never was.
“2. A Christian upbringing despite my parents' separation.
“3. A solid Christian Education education (Assumption Convent and then U.P.).
“4. Leadership skills from Childhood.
“5. Academic skills — scholarships and honors from grade school to college.
“6. My first marriage to Pete (RIP) that produced 4 beautiful, intelligent and good children.
“7. My second marriage to King at age 69. If marriages are made in heaven, ours is.
“8. The gift of faith and strength of character.”
Happy Birthday, Tita Boots!
Mahal na mahal ka naming Troika!!! Ang galing at ang saya mong kausap lagi!!!